Comprehensive economic mapping

The primary objective of this nationwide census is to develop a comprehensive overview of production and business activities across all economic sectors in Vietnam.

Subjects of the census include corporations, general companies, enterprises, cooperatives, people's credit funds; non-public service units; associations; non-agricultural, forestry, and fishery household businesses; cooperatives; religious and belief establishments; and branches, representative offices of businesses and foreign non-governmental organizations operating in Vietnam.

The economic census is typically conducted every five years.

This census will collect five key groups of information: unit identification and classification; production and business conditions (labor, assets, capital); business performance (products, revenue, expenses); the degree of science-technology application, digital economy integration, and e-commerce participation; and in-depth specialized data for state management and analysis.

Modernized methods and data integration

A significant innovation in the 2026 census is the full integration of existing administrative data and the application of information technology across the entire process of data collection, processing, and compilation. This approach is expected to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and ensure accuracy and transparency in the results.

The data collection phase will be divided into two periods: from January 5 to March 31, 2026, data will be gathered from household businesses in non-agricultural, forestry, and fishery sectors, cooperatives, and religious or belief institutions. From April 1 to August 31, 2026, data collection will focus on enterprises, non-public service units, associations, business units under administrative bodies, public service units, branches, and representative offices of enterprises and foreign NGOs.

The Prime Minister will establish a Central Steering Committee for the 2026 Economic Census to oversee and coordinate its implementation nationwide. The Ministry of Finance will collaborate with the Ministries of National Defense, Public Security, Home Affairs, and local authorities through provincial- and commune-level steering committees.

Preliminary results are expected in January 2027, with official findings to be released in the third quarter of 2027. These results will support planning and policymaking efforts to align economic and social development strategies with Vietnam’s new realities.

PV